Computer as a Tool of Language Teaching

Meti Mallikarjun
Sahyadri Arts College
Kuvempu University
Shimoga
meti.mallikarjun@gmail.com

Abstract

This paper intends to explore the computational applications in language

teaching/learning. Language teachers always confront the various
challenges in order to teach L1 or L2. In the sense, as Edward Sapir
puts it, “language can be seen as way to describe and represent human
experience and understanding of the world” (1921, cited in 1961). It is
obvious that Sapir intends to mean, language learning is nothing but
inculcating communicative skills. Therefore, in this paper, we would like
to discuss, how computer could be a best tool in order to teach/ learn a
particular language effectively in a given situation. The world of today
is, to a major extent, computer-driven while the world of tomorrow will
inevitably be IT-based. Computer savvy kids will therefore have a head
start over the computer-illiterate. IT (Information Technology) or ICT
(Information and Communication Technology) should no longer be seen as
an option but rather as an integral part of the school experience for
everyone.

The present paper tries to focus, as it is said in the abstract that the
computational implications in the field of language teaching. Language
teaching/learning is a process which takes place in a formal situation i.e. education.
Education can be defined and cannot be defined at best because, according to time
and space, the definition of education differs, this difference cannot be
recognized in a specific or a particular form. In the sense, the paradigm shift or
epistemological shift is kept on taking place in the process of changing scenarios.
Hence, education is generally defined, it is a continues process, in the history of
changing process, that is, some events change history, some just change the way a
person sees that history, and it is not always easy to tell the difference. However,
in this paper, how (computer) has technology changed the situation of language
learning/ teaching is discussed. The present situation witnesses that; learners are
not just confining to 3R’s (i.e. Reading, Writing and Arithmetic) alone. The current
socio-political situations compelled to take need-based education. As a result,

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communicative skills have given prominent place in the field of education in order
to achieve the knowledge of a given discipline in which subject-competency is
developed based on comprehensive language skills.

When we go through the history of language teaching, we come across several

teaching methods, which have been evolving in order to teach a language either L1
or L2. Viz;

1. Grammar Translation Method

2. The Direct Method
3. The Reading/ Situational Method
4. Bilingual Method
5. The Audio-lingual Method
6. Lecturer-cum-Discussion Method
7. Communicative Method
8. Structural Approach
9. Cognitive Approach so on and so forth.

However, none of the methods has succeeded in order to achieve the intended
goals/ objectives of a language teaching/learning i.e. effective learning/ teaching.
Learning is not a unidirectional process but bidirectional process in which teacher
and student are involved in order to inculcate comprehensive language skills. The
argument can be substantiated with the following statement, “there is not any
listening without someone speaking, and speaking without somebody listening is an
empty gesture” (Bowen, Madson and Hilferly: 1985, 99). Therefore, the effective
teaching tools are necessary to achieve the comprehensive skills. These skills could
be developed through computer assisted language teaching. At the end of the
twentieth century, due to the influence and impact of information technology, the
innovative teaching/ learning methods are being discovered. There are numbers of
possible assumptions underlying the assertion that computer can be used for
educational benefit. The first is that educationalists, parents and society would
like to see the effective use of new technology in the classroom and curriculum. As
a result, computer aided language teaching/learning is predominantly taking place in
the context of L1 or L2 teaching/learning.
The implementation of computer assisted language teaching/ learning needs
many preparations in terms of material production, designing, computational models
etc. it is understood that communication skills and the new literacies demanded by
new technologies, as well as competence in one or more languages i.e. “linguistic

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capital” (a term used by Piere Bourdieu:1991). The following diagram can represent,
the way in which curriculum is to be designed based on computer aided teaching
methods and techniques:

Design of Curriculum and Techniques

Errors Skill
Syllabus
Exercises Content

Language Time
Structure

Objectives

Learning Objectives Content Objectives

These methods and techniques which consisting of; what is it that we are teaching;

• Rules about language

• Word-formation and syntactic pattern
• Content form
• Grammatical functions and their representations
• Socio-cultural usages
All these aspects can be presented in the different modes e.g. Description,
Narration, Conversation, Monologue, Short story, Prose, Poems and Songs etc in
the graphical or multimedia modes. In the sense, CALL (Computer Aided
Language Learning) seeks to employ computer in order to improve language
learning, CALL spans the range of activities in language pedagogy- hearing,
speaking, reading and writing- and draws from nearly all areas of Information

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and Communication Technology (ICT). Even if most CALL, are automated
language exercises, exploiting hypertext, simple database and network
technology and digital audio-video, one find many others, including ingenious
applications of everyday technology such as word processing and E-mail. For
example, one of the vachanas of Sri Basavanna of twelfth century of Kannada
Literature can be presented by using computer and its applications like
multimedia.

“uLLavaru Sivaalaya maaDuvaru:

naaneenu maaDuve? baDavanayya
enna kaalee kambha, deehavee deegula,
sira honna kaLasavayya.
kuuDala sangamadeeva, keeLayya:
sthaavarakkaLivunTu, jangamakkaLivilla!”

-Sri Basavanna
Translation:
“The rich
will make temples for shiva
What shall I,
a poor man
do?
my legs are pillars,
the body the shrine
my head a cupola
of golden
Listen, O Lord of the meeting rivers
Things standing shall fall
But the moving ever shall stay”
(By A.K.Ramanujan: Speaking of Shiva)
The structure and narration of the above vachana seems to be simple, but as
for as meanings are concern, they are very complex and inferential. Therefore,
the unique characteristics of the literary texts demand additional skills, which
are consisting of aesthetic experiences. However, by using graphics/
multimedia, one can able to resolve the semantic complexities through graphical
images which effective learning takes place. Where as, the multimedia programs
can also bring the graphical representation of the real temple and its various
parts, which is used, as image in the vachana at one hand. At the other human

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picture through which we distinguish and relate symbolically in order to
understand inferential meanings (i.e. poetic sensibilities) which presented in the
form of metaphors, images and symbols will be represented through computer
graphics very effectively. Because poems like this may have different purposes.

If language teaching has become more exciting, it has also become

considerably more complex. This complexity can be resolved by discovering
various possible computer aided language teaching. As Widdowson rightly
pointed out that, “Teaching language for communication as communication”
therefore, we have to set principles for material production of CALT in such a
way, where selection, Gradation, Presentation and Evaluation based on known to
unknown and easy to difficult criteria in order to reinforce the demands of
language learning. The material production must be consisting of
comprehensibility skills. For example, the allophonic representations of /P/ of
English phoneme can be taught for Kannada speakers as L2, is very easy through
computer graphics and animations viz /P/ has four allophones;
• (P) is aspirated when it occurs initially in an accented syllables as in pot,
pull and a ‘part
• (P)
1. is unaspirated when it occurs in an unaccented syllables as in pre’vent,
taper, and etc
2. when it is preceded by /S/ as in spot, spy etc
3. when it occurs medially as in apt, lapse, helped etc
• (P) is inaudibly released when it occurs at final before silence as in cup,
sleep, type etc
• (P) is nasally released when it is followed by (m) or (n) as in happen, help
me, cheap meal etc
Kannada or any other Indian language speaker cannot realize these phonetic
representations by just equating with Kannada/ any other Indian language
sounds. Where as, through computer graphics/ multimedia, they can clearly be
distinguished with obvious/ appropriate pronunciation, which facilitates the
learners to identify the specific points of articulation. This is how; CALT offers
opportunity to teachers to make better use of their time, expertise, and it also
extends to access information to the learners. Subsequently, this can provide
an active participation, motivates in learning, encourages vigilance, and offers
privacy and acts as a reference source etc. this tool also takes place in order to
develop structural, situational, notional, and notional-functional based syllabus
to teach/ learn a given language. At the same time, this syllabus can be graded

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in a higher order in terms of pronunciation, speaking, and dictation, reading
models, poetry and songs, words in contexts, language games, model speeches,
intonation, stress, accent and conversation based on standard and dialectical
differences of given language. In this case, learners could able to perceive,
visualize, and envisage all possible linguistic understandings of a given text.
According to the need based learning, exercises can be designed in modes of
multimedia, in which higher order skills will maintain to bring comprehensive,
coherent, and cohesion by providing certain representative packages of a given
lessons. For example, the Kannada verb structure is necessary to teach, in such
a case, the material that is to be used in computer assisted language learning/
teaching, that particular material will be designed by creating situations to
reinforce the comprehensive skills in a higher order based their actual usages.
At the same time, language structure to be selected in the form of basic skills
and higher order skills by analyzing the various levels of language, like;
phoneme, morpheme, morphophonemic aspects, syntactic pattern and semantic
properties. Language evaluation is done based on the various designs of a
particular aspect of the language in order to test comprehensibility skills
whether the objectives are reinforced or not. Therefore, many features of the
language well through imparted audio-video media text, graphic, art, sound,
animation into multimedia, which also includes the interactivity by providing
many options.

Without a doubt, the computer is a powerful instrument that may be used

to stimulate and support a number of educational goals, which fails to replace
the teacher in classroom. It can be a supplementary tool in order to bring
effective learning/ teaching. In this way, in this way, computer can play an
important role in helping the teacher and student.

Reference Books

1. Bourdien, P 1991: Language and symbolic power, introduced by J B

Thomson (Ed) Trans, G Raymond and Adamson, Cambridge.
2. Chapelle. Carol. A. 2001: Computer Application in Second Language
Acquisition, Cambridge.
3. Darsha J. Jani 2005: New Approaches Methods in English Language
Teaching, Mark Publishers, Jaipur
4. Edward Sapir 1921: Language

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5. Ganeshan M 2003: Role of Multimedia Games in Tamil Teaching/ Learning
6. Ratawal.S.P 2006: Teaching English Language, Cybertech Publishers, New
Delhi
7. Widdoson: Applied linguistics
8. Resource Persons’ Lectures